Key Votes

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Vote Smart provides easy access to congressional and state voting records and maintains a collection of key votes grouped by issue. Vote Smart uses the following criteria to select key votes:

  1. The vote should be helpful in portraying how a member stands on a particular issue
  2. The vote should be clear for any person to understand
  3. The vote has received media attention
  4. The vote was passed or defeated by a very close margin
  5. Occasionally, if a specific bill is consistently inquired about on the Voter's Research Hotline, the vote will be added

Vote Smart provides a summary of the version of the bill text associated with each selected key vote. Our summaries are written by Vote Smart's staff and interns, who adhere to our strict policies and procedures in order to guarantee absolute impartiality and accuracy. They do not necessarily reflect the content of the final version of the bill, but rather the version voted on in that stage. While many procedural votes take place before a full chamber vote, our voting stages reflect the final reading of each chamber vote. Each key vote selection is reviewed by the project's community of advisors, who are political scientists and journalists from all fifty states.

For more information about the legislative process, see here.


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Date State Bill No. Title Outcome
Aug. 1, 1996 National HR 3103 Health Insurance Portability bill Conference Report Adopted - House (421 - 2)
Oct. 7, 2004 National HR 4520 JOBS (Jumpstart Our Business Strength) Conference Report Adopted - House (280 - 141)
Jan. 10, 2007 National HR 2 Minimum Wage Increase Bill Passed - House (315 - 116)
April 2, 2004 National HR 3108 Pension Funding Equity Act of 2004 Conference Report Adopted - House (336 - 69)
July 28, 2006 National HR 4 Pension Reform Bill Bill Passed - House (279 - 131)
March 29, 1996 National HR 956 Product Liability bill Conference Report Adopted - House (259 - 158)
March 30, 2006 National H Amdt 772 Reverse the Raid on Student Aid Amendment Amendment Rejected - House (200 - 220)
Jan. 8, 2003 National S 23 Unemployment Benefits bill Bill Passed - House (416 - 4)
May 9, 1996 National HR 956 Product Liability bill Veto Override Failed - House (258 - 163)
July 29, 2006 National HR 5970 Death/Estate Tax and Minimum Wage Bill Bill Passed - House (230 - 180)
June 19, 2003 National HR 660 Small Business Health Fairness Act of 2003 Bill Passed - House (262 - 162)
July 30, 1996 National HR 2391 Working Families Flexibility Act of 1996 Bill Passed - House (225 - 195)
June 8, 2006 National HR 5252 COPE Bill of 2006 Bill Passed - House (321 - 101)
May 10, 2007 National HR 2206 Emergency Departmental Supplemental Appropriations Bill of 2007 Bill Passed - House (221 - 205)
May 19, 1993 National HR 820 National Competitiveness Act of 1993 Bill Passed - House (243 - 167)
Sept. 7, 2007 National HR 1908 Patent Reform Act of 2007 Bill Passed - House (220 - 175)
Oct. 31, 2007 National HR 3920 Trade and Globalization Act of 2007 Bill Passed - House (264 - 157)
Nov. 7, 2007 National HR 3685 Sexual Orientation Employment Nondiscrimination Act (ENDA) Bill Passed - House (235 - 184)
Jan. 16, 2008 National HR 2768 S-MINER Act Bill Passed - House (214 - 199)
July 31, 2007 National HR 2831 Equal Pay Bill Bill Passed - House (225 - 199)
April 30, 2008 National HR 5522 Requiring OSHA to Establish Combustible Dust Safety Standards Bill Passed - House (247 - 165)
June 24, 2008 National HR 6346 Price Gouging Prevention Act Bill Failed - House (276 - 146)
June 9, 2000 National H Amdt 763 Estate Tax Substitute Amendment Amendment Rejected - House (196 - 222)
July 30, 2008 National HR 1108 FDA Regulation of Tobacco Bill Passed - House (326 - 102)
July 31, 2008 National HR 1338 Employment Discrimination Law Amendments Bill Passed - House (247 - 178)
March 9, 2000 National HR 3846 Minimum Wage Increase bill Bill Passed - House (282 - 143)
March 9, 2000 National H Amdt 594 Minimum Wage Increase-Two Year Raise Amendment Adopted - House (246 - 179)
Sept. 26, 2000 National HR 5175 Small Business Superfund Exemption Bill Failed - House (253 - 161)
May 5, 1999 National HR 833 Bankruptcy Reform bill Bill Passed - House (313 - 108)
June 8, 2000 National H Amdt 760 OSHA Ergonomic Protection Amendment Amendment Rejected - House (203 - 220)
July 19, 2001 National H Amdt 200 Community Solutions Act Amendment Amendment Rejected - House (168 - 261)
Sept. 24, 1998 National HR 3736 Nonimmigrant Specialty Workers bill Bill Passed - House (288 - 133)
Sept. 24, 1998 National HR 3736 Nonimmigrant Specialty Workers bill Bill Passed - House (288 - 133)
March 3, 2004 National HR 1561 US Patent and Trademark Fee Modernization Act, 2004 Bill Passed - House (379 - 28)
April 5, 1995 National HR 1215 Contract With America Tax Relief Act of 1995 Bill Passed - House (246 - 188)
Aug. 2, 1996 National HR 3448 Minimum Wage Increase bill Conference Report Adopted - House (354 - 72)
Aug. 2, 1996 National HR 3448 Minimum Wage Increase bill Conference Report Adopted - House (354 - 72)
May 22, 1996 National HR 3448 Minimum Wage Increase bill Bill Passed - House (414 - 10)
May 22, 1996 National HR 3448 Minimum Wage Increase bill Bill Passed - House (414 - 10)
March 28, 1996 National HR 3103 Health Insurance Portability bill Bill Passed - House (267 - 151)
April 1, 1998 National H Amdt 548 Disadvantaged Business Enterprise Program Amendment Amendment Rejected - House (194 - 225)
March 26, 1998 National HR 3246 Small Business and Employee Fairness bill Bill Passed - House (202 - 200)
Sept. 27, 1995 National HR 743 Teamwork for Employees and Managers Act of 1995 Bill Passed - House (221 - 202)
July 26, 2005 National H Amdt 514 Small Employer Health Benefits Plan Amendment Amendment Rejected - House (197 - 230)
Sept. 9, 2004 National HR 5006 Labor, HHS and Education Appropriations Bill- FY 2005 Bill Passed - House (388 - 13)
July 8, 2004 National HR 4754 Commerce Department FY2005 Appropriations Bill Bill Passed - House (397 - 18)
May 12, 2004 National HR 4279 Small Business Health Fairness Act of 2004 Bill Passed - House (273 - 152)
March 10, 2004 National HR 339 Food Industry Obesity Lawsuits (Cheeseburger Bill) Bill Passed - House (276 - 139)
Feb. 25, 2004 National HR 2751 GAO Human Capital Reform Act of 2004 Bill Passed - House (382 - 43)
Nov. 9, 1993 National HR 1036 Prevailing Wage Pre-emptions Bill Passed - House (276 - 150)
March 9, 2000 National HR 3081 Small Business Tax Fairness Act of 2000 Bill Passed - House (257 - 169)
March 9, 2000 National HR 3081 Small Business Tax Fairness Act of 2000 Bill Passed - House (257 - 169)
Feb. 16, 2000 National HR 2366 Small Business Liability Reform bill Bill Passed - House (221 - 193)
Nov. 7, 1997 National HR 2647 PLA Monitoring bill Bill Passed - House (408 - 10)
March 19, 1997 National HR 1 Compensatory Time Bill Bill Passed - House (222 - 210)
Sept. 18, 2008 National HR 6604 Commodity Markets Speculation Bill Bill Passed - House (283 - 133)
Sept. 23, 2008 National HR 5244 Credit Card Regulations Bill Passed - House (312 - 112)
July 11, 1996 National H Amdt 1273 Drug Price Amendment Amendment Rejected - House (180 - 242)
May 23, 1996 National H Amdt 1085 Fair Labor Standards Act Amendment Amendment Rejected - House (196 - 229)
May 23, 1996 National H Amdt 1085 Fair Labor Standards Act Amendment Amendment Adopted - House (239 - 188)
May 23, 1996 National H Amdt 1085 Fair Labor Standards Act Amendment Amendment Adopted - House (239 - 188)
May 23, 1996 National H Amdt 1085 Fair Labor Standards Act Amendment Amendment Rejected - House (196 - 229)
May 23, 1996 National H Amdt 1084 Minimum Wage Amendment Amendment Adopted - House (266 - 162)
May 23, 1996 National HR 1227 Minimum Wage Increase Bill Passed - House (281 - 144)
March 7, 1996 National H Amdt 947 Lobby Disclosure Amendment Amendment Adopted - House (211 - 209)
Jan. 9, 2009 National HR 11 Employment Discrimination Law Amendments Bill Passed - House (247 - 171)
Jan. 9, 2009 National HR 12 Employment Discrimination Law Amendments Bill Passed - House (256 - 163)
Jan. 27, 2009 National S 181 Lilly Ledbetter Fair Pay Act of 2009 Bill Passed - House (250 - 177)
June 26, 2009 National HR 2454 Energy and Environmental Law Amendments ("Cap and Trade") Bill Passed - House (219 - 212)
June 15, 1993 National HR 5 Cesar Chavez Workplace Fairness Act Bill Passed - House (239 - 190)
Nov. 19, 2009 National HR 3961 Revising Medicare Physician Fee Schedules and Reinstatement of PAYGO Bill Passed - House (243 - 183)
June 30, 2010 National HR 4173 Dodd-Frank Wall Street Reform and Consumer Protection Act Conference Report Adopted - House (237 - 192)
Dec. 11, 2009 National HR 4173 Dodd-Frank Wall Street Reform and Consumer Protection Act Bill Passed - House (223 - 202)
Dec. 16, 2009 National HR 2847 Employment, Infrastructure, and Transportation Appropriations Concurrence Vote Passed - House (217 - 212)
March 4, 2010 National HR 2847 Employment, Infrastructure, and Transportation Appropriations and Tax Credits ("Senate Jobs Bill") Concurrence Vote Passed - House (217 - 201)
Date No. Title Outcome
8/01 HR 3103 Health Insurance Portability bill Conference Report Adopted - House (421 - 2)
10/07 HR 4520 JOBS (Jumpstart Our Business Strength) Conference Report Adopted - House (280 - 141)
1/10 HR 2 Minimum Wage Increase Bill Passed - House (315 - 116)
4/02 HR 3108 Pension Funding Equity Act of 2004 Conference Report Adopted - House (336 - 69)
7/28 HR 4 Pension Reform Bill Bill Passed - House (279 - 131)
3/29 HR 956 Product Liability bill Conference Report Adopted - House (259 - 158)
3/30 H Amdt 772 Reverse the Raid on Student Aid Amendment Amendment Rejected - House (200 - 220)
1/08 S 23 Unemployment Benefits bill Bill Passed - House (416 - 4)
5/09 HR 956 Product Liability bill Veto Override Failed - House (258 - 163)
7/29 HR 5970 Death/Estate Tax and Minimum Wage Bill Bill Passed - House (230 - 180)
6/19 HR 660 Small Business Health Fairness Act of 2003 Bill Passed - House (262 - 162)
7/30 HR 2391 Working Families Flexibility Act of 1996 Bill Passed - House (225 - 195)
6/08 HR 5252 COPE Bill of 2006 Bill Passed - House (321 - 101)
5/10 HR 2206 Emergency Departmental Supplemental Appropriations Bill of 2007 Bill Passed - House (221 - 205)
5/19 HR 820 National Competitiveness Act of 1993 Bill Passed - House (243 - 167)
9/07 HR 1908 Patent Reform Act of 2007 Bill Passed - House (220 - 175)
10/31 HR 3920 Trade and Globalization Act of 2007 Bill Passed - House (264 - 157)
11/07 HR 3685 Sexual Orientation Employment Nondiscrimination Act (ENDA) Bill Passed - House (235 - 184)
1/16 HR 2768 S-MINER Act Bill Passed - House (214 - 199)
7/31 HR 2831 Equal Pay Bill Bill Passed - House (225 - 199)
4/30 HR 5522 Requiring OSHA to Establish Combustible Dust Safety Standards Bill Passed - House (247 - 165)
6/24 HR 6346 Price Gouging Prevention Act Bill Failed - House (276 - 146)
6/09 H Amdt 763 Estate Tax Substitute Amendment Amendment Rejected - House (196 - 222)
7/30 HR 1108 FDA Regulation of Tobacco Bill Passed - House (326 - 102)
7/31 HR 1338 Employment Discrimination Law Amendments Bill Passed - House (247 - 178)
3/09 HR 3846 Minimum Wage Increase bill Bill Passed - House (282 - 143)
3/09 H Amdt 594 Minimum Wage Increase-Two Year Raise Amendment Adopted - House (246 - 179)
9/26 HR 5175 Small Business Superfund Exemption Bill Failed - House (253 - 161)
5/05 HR 833 Bankruptcy Reform bill Bill Passed - House (313 - 108)
6/08 H Amdt 760 OSHA Ergonomic Protection Amendment Amendment Rejected - House (203 - 220)
7/19 H Amdt 200 Community Solutions Act Amendment Amendment Rejected - House (168 - 261)
9/24 HR 3736 Nonimmigrant Specialty Workers bill Bill Passed - House (288 - 133)
9/24 HR 3736 Nonimmigrant Specialty Workers bill Bill Passed - House (288 - 133)
3/03 HR 1561 US Patent and Trademark Fee Modernization Act, 2004 Bill Passed - House (379 - 28)
4/05 HR 1215 Contract With America Tax Relief Act of 1995 Bill Passed - House (246 - 188)
8/02 HR 3448 Minimum Wage Increase bill Conference Report Adopted - House (354 - 72)
8/02 HR 3448 Minimum Wage Increase bill Conference Report Adopted - House (354 - 72)
5/22 HR 3448 Minimum Wage Increase bill Bill Passed - House (414 - 10)
5/22 HR 3448 Minimum Wage Increase bill Bill Passed - House (414 - 10)
3/28 HR 3103 Health Insurance Portability bill Bill Passed - House (267 - 151)
4/01 H Amdt 548 Disadvantaged Business Enterprise Program Amendment Amendment Rejected - House (194 - 225)
3/26 HR 3246 Small Business and Employee Fairness bill Bill Passed - House (202 - 200)
9/27 HR 743 Teamwork for Employees and Managers Act of 1995 Bill Passed - House (221 - 202)
7/26 H Amdt 514 Small Employer Health Benefits Plan Amendment Amendment Rejected - House (197 - 230)
9/09 HR 5006 Labor, HHS and Education Appropriations Bill- FY 2005 Bill Passed - House (388 - 13)
7/08 HR 4754 Commerce Department FY2005 Appropriations Bill Bill Passed - House (397 - 18)
5/12 HR 4279 Small Business Health Fairness Act of 2004 Bill Passed - House (273 - 152)
3/10 HR 339 Food Industry Obesity Lawsuits (Cheeseburger Bill) Bill Passed - House (276 - 139)
2/25 HR 2751 GAO Human Capital Reform Act of 2004 Bill Passed - House (382 - 43)
11/09 HR 1036 Prevailing Wage Pre-emptions Bill Passed - House (276 - 150)
3/09 HR 3081 Small Business Tax Fairness Act of 2000 Bill Passed - House (257 - 169)
3/09 HR 3081 Small Business Tax Fairness Act of 2000 Bill Passed - House (257 - 169)
2/16 HR 2366 Small Business Liability Reform bill Bill Passed - House (221 - 193)
11/07 HR 2647 PLA Monitoring bill Bill Passed - House (408 - 10)
3/19 HR 1 Compensatory Time Bill Bill Passed - House (222 - 210)
9/18 HR 6604 Commodity Markets Speculation Bill Bill Passed - House (283 - 133)
9/23 HR 5244 Credit Card Regulations Bill Passed - House (312 - 112)
7/11 H Amdt 1273 Drug Price Amendment Amendment Rejected - House (180 - 242)
5/23 H Amdt 1085 Fair Labor Standards Act Amendment Amendment Rejected - House (196 - 229)
5/23 H Amdt 1085 Fair Labor Standards Act Amendment Amendment Adopted - House (239 - 188)
5/23 H Amdt 1085 Fair Labor Standards Act Amendment Amendment Adopted - House (239 - 188)
5/23 H Amdt 1085 Fair Labor Standards Act Amendment Amendment Rejected - House (196 - 229)
5/23 H Amdt 1084 Minimum Wage Amendment Amendment Adopted - House (266 - 162)
5/23 HR 1227 Minimum Wage Increase Bill Passed - House (281 - 144)
3/07 H Amdt 947 Lobby Disclosure Amendment Amendment Adopted - House (211 - 209)
1/09 HR 11 Employment Discrimination Law Amendments Bill Passed - House (247 - 171)
1/09 HR 12 Employment Discrimination Law Amendments Bill Passed - House (256 - 163)
1/27 S 181 Lilly Ledbetter Fair Pay Act of 2009 Bill Passed - House (250 - 177)
6/26 HR 2454 Energy and Environmental Law Amendments ("Cap and Trade") Bill Passed - House (219 - 212)
6/15 HR 5 Cesar Chavez Workplace Fairness Act Bill Passed - House (239 - 190)
11/19 HR 3961 Revising Medicare Physician Fee Schedules and Reinstatement of PAYGO Bill Passed - House (243 - 183)
6/30 HR 4173 Dodd-Frank Wall Street Reform and Consumer Protection Act Conference Report Adopted - House (237 - 192)
12/11 HR 4173 Dodd-Frank Wall Street Reform and Consumer Protection Act Bill Passed - House (223 - 202)
12/16 HR 2847 Employment, Infrastructure, and Transportation Appropriations Concurrence Vote Passed - House (217 - 212)
3/04 HR 2847 Employment, Infrastructure, and Transportation Appropriations and Tax Credits ("Senate Jobs Bill") Concurrence Vote Passed - House (217 - 201)

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